Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem

1NowH1961 in the monthH2320 of NisanH5212,1 in the twentiethH6242 yearH8141 of KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783, when wineH3196 was set before himH6440, I tookH5375 the wineH3196 and gaveH5414 it to the kingH4428. I had neverH3808 beenH1961 sadH7451 in his presenceH6440, 2so the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, “WhyH4069 is your faceH6440 sadH7451, though youH859 are notH369 illH2470? ThisH2088 could only beH369H3588H518 sadnessH7455 of the heartH3820.”

I was overwhelmed with fearH3372H7235H3966 3and repliedH559 to the kingH4428, “May the kingH4428 live foreverH2421H5769! WhyH4069 should I notH3808 be sadH7489H6440 whenH834 the cityH5892 whereH1004 my fathersH1 are buriedH6913 lies in ruinsH2720, and its gatesH8179 have been destroyedH398 by fireH784?”

4“WhatH4100H2088 is yourH859 requestH1245?” repliedH559 the kingH4428H5921.

So I prayedH6419 toH413 the GodH430 of heavenH8064 5and answeredH559 the kingH4428, “IfH518 it pleasesH2896 the kingH4428, and ifH518 your servantH5650 has found favorH3190 in your sightH6440, I ask thatH834 you send meH7971 toH413 JudahH3063, toH413 the cityH5892 where my fathersH1 are buriedH6913, so that I may rebuild itH1129.”

6Then the kingH4428, with the queenH7694 seatedH3427 beside himH681, askedH559 me, “How longH5704H4970 will your journeyH4109 takeH1961, and whenH4970 will you returnH7725?” So it pleasedH3190H6440 the kingH4428 to send meH7971, and I setH5414 a timeH2165.

7I also saidH559 toH4428 him, “IfH518 it pleasesH2896 the kingH4428, may lettersH107 be givenH5414 to me forH5921 the governorsH6346 westH5676 of the EuphratesH5104,2 so thatH834 they will grant me safe passageH5674 untilH5704 I reachH935H413 JudahH3063. 8And may I have a letterH107 toH413 AsaphH623, keeperH8104 of the king’sH834H4428 forestH6508, so thatH834 he will giveH5414 me timberH6086 to make beamsH7136 forH853 the gatesH8179 of the citadelH1002 to the templeH1004, for the cityH5892 wallH2346, and for the houseH1004 I will occupyH935H413.”

And because the graciousH2896 handH3027 of my GodH430 was upon meH5921, the kingH4428 grantedH5414 my requests.

9Then I wentH935 toH413 the governorsH6346 westH5676 of the EuphratesH5104 and gaveH5414 them the king’sH4428 lettersH107. The kingH4428 had also sentH7971 armyH2428 officersH8269 and cavalryH6571 with meH5973.

10But when SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772 and TobiahH2900 the AmmoniteH5984 officialH5650 heard about thisH8085, they were deeplyH1419 disturbedH7489H7451 thatH834 someoneH120 had comeH935 to seekH1245 the well-beingH2896 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478.

Nehemiah Inspects the Walls

11After I had arrivedH935 inH413 JerusalemH3389 and had beenH1961 thereH8033 threeH7969 daysH3117, 12IH589 set outH6965 at nightH3915 withH5973 a fewH4592 menH582. I did notH3808 tellH5046 anyoneH120 whatH4100 my GodH430 had laidH5414 onH413 my heartH3820 to doH6213 for JerusalemH3389. The onlyH3588H518 animalH929H369 with meH5973 was the oneH929 on whichH834 IH589 was ridingH7392.

13So I went outH3318 at nightH3915 through the ValleyH1516 GateH8179 towardH413H6440 the WellH5869 of the SerpentH8577H4133 and the DungH830H1961 GateH8179, and I inspectedH7663 the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389 thatH834 had been broken downH6555 and the gatesH8179 that had been destroyedH398 by fireH784.

14Then I went onH5674 toH413 the FountainH5869H413 GateH8179 and the King’sH4428 PoolH1295, but there was noH369 roomH4725 for the animalH929 under meH8478 to get throughH5674; 15so IH1961 went upH5927 the valleyH5158 by nightH3915 andH1961 inspectedH7663 the wallH2346. Then I headed backH7725 and reenteredH935H7725 through the ValleyH1516 GateH8179.

16The officialsH5461 did notH3808 knowH3045 whereH575 I had goneH1980 or whatH4100 IH589 was doingH6213, for I had notH3808 yetH5704H3651 toldH5046 the JewsH3064 or priestsH3548 or noblesH2715 or officialsH5461 or any otherH3499 workersH6213H4399. 17Then I saidH559 to themH413, “YouH859 seeH7200 the troubleH7451 we areH587 in. JerusalemH3389 lies in ruinsH2720, and its gatesH8179 have been burned downH3341H784. ComeH1980, let us rebuildH1129 the wallH2346 of JerusalemH3389, so that we will noH3808 longerH5750 beH1961 a disgraceH2781.”

18I also toldH5046 them aboutH834H1931 the graciousH2896 handH3027 of my GodH430 upon meH5921, andH637H1697 whatH834 the kingH4428 had saidH559 to me.

“Let us startH6965 rebuildingH1129,” they repliedH559, and they setH2388 their handsH3027 to this goodH2896 work.

19But when SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, TobiahH2900 the AmmoniteH5984 officialH5650, and GeshemH1654 the ArabH6163 heard about thisH8085, they mockedH3932 us and ridiculedH959 usH5921, sayingH559, “WhatH4100H1697 is thisH2088 you areH859 doingH6213? Are youH859 rebellingH4775 againstH5921 the kingH4428?”

20So I answeredH7725 themH853 and saidH559, “The GodH430 of heavenH8064 is the OneH1931 who will grant us successH6743. WeH587, His servantsH5650, will startH6965 rebuildingH1129, but you have noH369 portionH2506, rightH6666, or claimH2146 in JerusalemH3389.”